The hexapeptide functionalized gold nanoparticles protect against sepsis-associated encephalopathy by forming specific protein corona and regulating macrophage activation

Sepsis-induced systemic inflammatory responses can often lead to brain dysfunction with impaired cognitive function and mobility, known as sepsis-associated encephalopathy (SAE). Currently, there are no effective pharmacological therapeutics to treat SAE. Herein, we demonstrated the hexapeptide func...

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Main Authors: Zichen Song, Hongguang Chen, Wenfei Xu, Xiaoye Zong, Xiaoyu Wang, Yuting Ji, Jiameng Gong, Mimi Pang, Shan-Yu Fung, Hong Yang, Yonghao Yu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-06-01
Series:Materials Today Bio
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590006425002637
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author Zichen Song
Hongguang Chen
Wenfei Xu
Xiaoye Zong
Xiaoyu Wang
Yuting Ji
Jiameng Gong
Mimi Pang
Shan-Yu Fung
Hong Yang
Yonghao Yu
author_facet Zichen Song
Hongguang Chen
Wenfei Xu
Xiaoye Zong
Xiaoyu Wang
Yuting Ji
Jiameng Gong
Mimi Pang
Shan-Yu Fung
Hong Yang
Yonghao Yu
author_sort Zichen Song
collection DOAJ
description Sepsis-induced systemic inflammatory responses can often lead to brain dysfunction with impaired cognitive function and mobility, known as sepsis-associated encephalopathy (SAE). Currently, there are no effective pharmacological therapeutics to treat SAE. Herein, we demonstrated the hexapeptide functionalized gold nanoparticles P12 that reduced SAE in septic mice with a dual mechanism to down-regulate systemic inflammation. We found that intraperitoneally administered P12 could target macrophages and regulate their inflammatory responses to decrease systemic inflammation and improve mice's cognitive function and mobility with SAE. Depleting peritoneal macrophages diminished the neuroprotective effects of P12 in SAE mice, suggesting macrophages as the effector cells for the neuroprotection by P12. In addition, the proteomic analysis revealed that P12 was capable of sequestering specific circulating inflammatory proteins in the blood of septic mice by forming a protein corona, contributing to the suppression of systemic inflammation. We also found that the local administration of P12 directly to the brain parenchyma effectively inhibited microglia activation and neuroinflammation in mice with SAE. This study provides an insightful understanding of the function and mechanisms of action of P12 in regulating sepsis-associated systemic inflammation and presents a new drug-free nanotherapeutic approach to treat SAE.
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spelling doaj-art-b0f332efe1e14ce986fcb8e1ef917d9b2025-08-20T02:53:41ZengElsevierMaterials Today Bio2590-00642025-06-013210170410.1016/j.mtbio.2025.101704The hexapeptide functionalized gold nanoparticles protect against sepsis-associated encephalopathy by forming specific protein corona and regulating macrophage activationZichen Song0Hongguang Chen1Wenfei Xu2Xiaoye Zong3Xiaoyu Wang4Yuting Ji5Jiameng Gong6Mimi Pang7Shan-Yu Fung8Hong Yang9Yonghao Yu10Department of Anesthesia, Tianjin Institute of Anesthesiology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, NO. 154 Anshan Road, Tianjin 300052, ChinaDepartment of Anesthesia, Tianjin Institute of Anesthesiology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, NO. 154 Anshan Road, Tianjin 300052, ChinaDepartment of Pharmacology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Inflammation Biology, The Province and Ministry Co-Sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, No. 22 Qixiangtai Road, Heping District, Tianjin 300070, ChinaDepartment of Pharmacology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Inflammation Biology, The Province and Ministry Co-Sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, No. 22 Qixiangtai Road, Heping District, Tianjin 300070, ChinaDepartment of Immunology and Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Disease (Ministry of Education), School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, No. 22 Qixiangtai Road, Heping District, Tianjin 300070, ChinaDepartment of Pharmacology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Inflammation Biology, The Province and Ministry Co-Sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, No. 22 Qixiangtai Road, Heping District, Tianjin 300070, ChinaDepartment of Pharmacology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Inflammation Biology, The Province and Ministry Co-Sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, No. 22 Qixiangtai Road, Heping District, Tianjin 300070, ChinaDepartment of Pharmacology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Inflammation Biology, The Province and Ministry Co-Sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, No. 22 Qixiangtai Road, Heping District, Tianjin 300070, ChinaDepartment of Immunology and Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Disease (Ministry of Education), School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, No. 22 Qixiangtai Road, Heping District, Tianjin 300070, ChinaDepartment of Pharmacology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Inflammation Biology, The Province and Ministry Co-Sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, No. 22 Qixiangtai Road, Heping District, Tianjin 300070, China; Corresponding author.Department of Anesthesia, Tianjin Institute of Anesthesiology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, NO. 154 Anshan Road, Tianjin 300052, China; Corresponding author.Sepsis-induced systemic inflammatory responses can often lead to brain dysfunction with impaired cognitive function and mobility, known as sepsis-associated encephalopathy (SAE). Currently, there are no effective pharmacological therapeutics to treat SAE. Herein, we demonstrated the hexapeptide functionalized gold nanoparticles P12 that reduced SAE in septic mice with a dual mechanism to down-regulate systemic inflammation. We found that intraperitoneally administered P12 could target macrophages and regulate their inflammatory responses to decrease systemic inflammation and improve mice's cognitive function and mobility with SAE. Depleting peritoneal macrophages diminished the neuroprotective effects of P12 in SAE mice, suggesting macrophages as the effector cells for the neuroprotection by P12. In addition, the proteomic analysis revealed that P12 was capable of sequestering specific circulating inflammatory proteins in the blood of septic mice by forming a protein corona, contributing to the suppression of systemic inflammation. We also found that the local administration of P12 directly to the brain parenchyma effectively inhibited microglia activation and neuroinflammation in mice with SAE. This study provides an insightful understanding of the function and mechanisms of action of P12 in regulating sepsis-associated systemic inflammation and presents a new drug-free nanotherapeutic approach to treat SAE.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590006425002637Sepsis-associated encephalopathyBioactive nanoparticlesProtein coronaMonocyte/macrophageInflammation
spellingShingle Zichen Song
Hongguang Chen
Wenfei Xu
Xiaoye Zong
Xiaoyu Wang
Yuting Ji
Jiameng Gong
Mimi Pang
Shan-Yu Fung
Hong Yang
Yonghao Yu
The hexapeptide functionalized gold nanoparticles protect against sepsis-associated encephalopathy by forming specific protein corona and regulating macrophage activation
Materials Today Bio
Sepsis-associated encephalopathy
Bioactive nanoparticles
Protein corona
Monocyte/macrophage
Inflammation
title The hexapeptide functionalized gold nanoparticles protect against sepsis-associated encephalopathy by forming specific protein corona and regulating macrophage activation
title_full The hexapeptide functionalized gold nanoparticles protect against sepsis-associated encephalopathy by forming specific protein corona and regulating macrophage activation
title_fullStr The hexapeptide functionalized gold nanoparticles protect against sepsis-associated encephalopathy by forming specific protein corona and regulating macrophage activation
title_full_unstemmed The hexapeptide functionalized gold nanoparticles protect against sepsis-associated encephalopathy by forming specific protein corona and regulating macrophage activation
title_short The hexapeptide functionalized gold nanoparticles protect against sepsis-associated encephalopathy by forming specific protein corona and regulating macrophage activation
title_sort hexapeptide functionalized gold nanoparticles protect against sepsis associated encephalopathy by forming specific protein corona and regulating macrophage activation
topic Sepsis-associated encephalopathy
Bioactive nanoparticles
Protein corona
Monocyte/macrophage
Inflammation
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590006425002637
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